Carriage-fitting.



A. W, SMITH.

CARRIAGE FITTING.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 2, 1907.

1,005,484. Patented 001111 1911.

W/ i'NESSEd //v VEN-TOR.

1217. 512M JQMWTM'PQ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

v ALBERT W. SMITH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, I BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, 'TO THE COLUMBIA MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

CARRIAGE-FITTING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ALBERT W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, resident of Providence, in the county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage- Fittings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to a class of carriage fittings which are more generally used in connection with the bows of a canopy or collapsible top for vehicles, such as the canopy tops of automobiles, though the invention may be equally applicable in other particular cases.

A specific embodiment of my invention'is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein it takes the form of a spacer to be aliixed to several bows of a collapsible top, as for an automobile, so that the several parts of my buffer act as spacers between the several individual bow. limbs, suitably separating them and forming a yielding butter to resist the clamping action of a strap or other suitable means.

Figure 1, is aside view of a number of bows, such as would constitute one side of a vehicle top when shut down and not in use. Fig. 2, illustrates the buffer open and in condition adapted to be affixed to the bows.

In Figures A A A are bows, while B is the buffer comprising spacers c and a strap d 'with a buckle at e. The spacers 0 have at each side a slot or flat hole slightly larger than the section of the strap; the strap is inserted through these holes on one side of the spacers and screws f are screwed through the sides of the spacers 0, through the strap d and into't-he bodies of the spacers. The

spacers 0 have concavities it. While my invention is described and shown as cgntaming three spacers it will be understood that one spacer of similar construction, com bined with a strap in the same manner as shown, can be used in places where only two bows are to be held together.

It will be seen that the embodiment of my invention as illustrated and now described in detail, affords a unit with flexible interconnected parts suitable to be removed from and adjusted to the bows of a canopy top, while the individual elements being fastened to the strap cannot be lost but are held flexibly together in a manner ready for application to the bows of a canopy top.

Even when it is desired to secure each element to the strap, in the manner described, the flexibility of the latter and yielding of the rubber is suflicient to permit yielding to any extent necessary to accommodate slight variation in dimension or form of bows, so that the spacer will at all times perform its proper function.

The spacers c are preferably made of rubber, vulcanized to the proper shape as shown, but the material may vary, though it is preferably one that will absorb the vibration received by the bows, owing to the jolting of the vehicle and effectively prevent the rattling of the bows or the abrasion which scratches or mars their finish. By using rubber, and with the construction as indicated, the bows may be very securely strapped together, so as to make them for all intent and purposes a unit to resist the jarring and tendency to rattle when the canopytop is collapsed.

It would be obvious that my invention may be embodied in various modified forms,

without departing from the spirit of my in-' vention, but

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination, a plurality of bows or ribs for carriages, of spacers, interconnecting means for flexibly holding said spacers and for clamping them together witl" said bows.

2. A vehicle top bow clamp comprising a plurality of spacers, each including soft surfaces, a connecting strap adapted to hold them together.

3. A canopy top bow holder including rubber spacers, a strap engaging one side thereof and adapted to clamp gsaidspacers and bows securely together.

4. A canopy top clamp including rubber buffers with holes on each side adapted to receive a strap, concavities on the adjacent sides of said rubber spacers to accommodate the bow legs.

5. A spacer for the bows or ribs for carriage tops "consisting of a rubber body having concavities on top and bottom form ng seats for the adjacent sides of the carriage bows and having a guide on the side to receive a strap.

6. A clamp for canopy bows, comprising a spacer with soft pliable surface adapted to engage the adjacent sides of two bows, a strap to encircle said bows and spacer, a guide on one side of said spacer adapted to cooperate with said strap and permit the ready application of said spacer to the strap for the purpose described.

7. A vehicle top bow-holder comprising a su ort carr in a luralit of s acers, flexilil d means iii siid sfipport zvhereb y said s acers are capable of separation to permit t e insertion of bows between them, means for securing the spacers to prevent the expansion of the holder when inserted on the bows.

8. A spacing clamp for vehicle top bows comprising a flexible back piece, one or more studs projecting therefrom, and means for holding the stud or studs between the bows of the top.

incense 9. A spacing clamp for articles in the class described, comprising a strap, one or more spacing blocks each including a suitable hole orrecess whereby they are slid on and held to said strap.

10. A. vehicle top bow-holder comprising a plurality of spacers, a strap engaging one edge of said spacers, a buckle at one end of said strap, means for securing the spacer farthest from said buckle against move ment on said strap.

11. A carriage fitting of the class described comprising a strap, a plurality of separator blocks, each having a recess on one side through which said strap may be passed, means for holding the last block through which the strap is passed against removal from said stra Signed this 26 day of November, 1907, at Providence, R. I.

ALBERT W. SMITH. Witnesses:

JOHNHENSHAW, JAs. E. Fnnnone. 

